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Barnes among seven drivers to join Rev Racing for full seasons in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Coming off the most successful season in the nine-year history of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program, NASCAR and Rev Racing welcomed the 2013 NASCAR D4D class live on Google+ Hangout today — a group that will attempt to match the first series championship in the program’s history.

“Four drivers selected from the NASCAR Drive For Diversity Combine will join three returning drivers to compete for Rev Racing in 2013,” said Max Siegel, owner of Rev Racing. “With Kyle Larson capturing NASCAR D4D’s first title in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, as well as the series’ Sunoco Rookie of Year Award, the new class is in a position to continue the momentum and defend the 2013 title.”

Bryan Ortiz, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and Ryan Gifford, of Winchester, Tenn., will return to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Ortiz finished second to teammate Larson in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors last season and fifth in the standings.

They will be joined by Daniel Suarez of Monterrey, Mexico, and Mackena Bell of Carson City, Nev. Suarez is coming off a third-place finish in Mexico’s NASCAR Toyota Series, while Bell drove in Rev Racing’s Late Model program last year.

Annabeth Barnes from Hiddenite, N.C., and Jack Madrid from San Clemente, Calif., will pilot the Late Models for Rev Racing. While Devon Amos, from Rio Rancho, N.M., will compete for the team’s Legends program.

“In 2012, the NASCAR Drive for Diversity initiative has strengthened its position as a leading driver development platform in our sport with outstanding finishes from many drivers, especially Kyle’s championship, which was a first for the program,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president of public affairs and multicultural development. “Clearly, the NASCAR D4D initiative and Rev Racing have raised the bar in preparing young drivers for success in our sport.”

Seventeen hopefuls went through a three-day driver evaluation of on-track performances and physical fitness to be considered for a spot in the 2013 D4D class. For the second-consecutive year, the NASCAR D4D Combine was held at Langley Speedway, a .4-mile asphalt oval and NASCAR-sanctioned track. 

While several of the drivers will compete in the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18-19, the full team will begin its season in March. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series drivers will make their series debut at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway March 9, while the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers open their season on March 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway. 

Toyota and Toyota Racing Development will once again support Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, with all drivers racing Toyota Camrys in 2013.  Goodyear, Mobil 1, Sprint, NASCAR  Technical Institute (NTI), 3M, Wix Filters, Mechanix Wear, iRacing, Castle, JRI Shocks, Impact, Playseat, Doghouse Systems, Logitech, and Sign Innovations also return to support Rev Racing and the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program. 

Posted on by Staff Report

Kellogg Company signs multi-year agreement with the N.Y. track

Watkins Glen International announced Tuesday that Cheez-It at the Glen will be the new name of their August race weekend for several years to come, beginning Aug. 8–11, 2013.

While the Nationwide series race name will stay the same — the NASCAR Nationwide Series Zippo 200 — the highlight of the weekend is the Sprint Cup race.

"This partnership adds another chapter to our rich racing history and provides an array of opportunities for all involved. I have no doubt our fans will benefit the most during our Cheez-It 355 at The Glen weekend,” Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup said. “We look forward to driving history together with the Kellogg Company and Cheez-It for years to come."

Although Kellogg has been involved in the sport since 1991, this is the first race entitlement.
 
"We know this loyalty exists among NASCAR fans, so this is the perfect opportunity for us to show our support for the fans and build on our successful partnerships in motorsports," said Todd Penegor, President of Kellogg U.S. Snacks. "We are proud to be the title sponsor of the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen — a one-of-a-kind event at an iconic venue."

Previously known as the Finger Lakes 355 at the Glen, the 355 translates to 90 laps, or 220.5 miles.

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Drivers, teams prep for next stage in preseason shakedowns

NASCAR confirmed Tuesday a total of 33 drivers as participants in the next round of preseason testing, scheduled Thursday and Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The test will be the second go-around at the 1.5-mile track for the sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car, which will make its debut this season. The new model, which bears a much closer resemblance to its street-car counterpart, hit the pavement for its first official test at the Concord, N.C., facility Dec. 11-12 of last year.

The entry list for the Charlotte test has two fewer cars than last week’s Preseason Thunder test at Daytona International Speedway, but the cast of characters is slightly changed. Regan Smith, Austin Dillon, Josh Wise, Travis Kvapil and David Reutimann tested at Daytona, but will not be in Charlotte for practice runs. But David Ragan and David Stremme, both absent from Daytona, will participate at the Charlotte test.

Smith is scheduled to enter the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 24 in the Phoenix Racing No. 51 Chevrolet. Dillon is scheduled to make his debut in the Great American Race in a fourth entry from Richard Childress Racing.

Testing at Charlotte is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET each day. Admission is free.

Car #
 Driver Team
1
 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
2
 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing
5
 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports
9
 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports
10
 Danica Patrick Stewart Haas Racing
11
 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing
13
 Casey Mears Germain Racing
14
 Tony Stewart Stewart Haas Racing
15
 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing
16
 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing
17
 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing
18
 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing
20
 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Racing
21
 Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers Racing
22
 Joey Logano Penske Racing
24
 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
27
 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing
29
 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing
30
 David Stremme Swan Racing
31
 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing
34
 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports
36
 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing
39
 Ryan Newman Stewart Haas Racing
42
 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
43
 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports
47
 Bobby Labonte JTG-Daugherty Racing
48
 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports
55
 Mark Martin Michael Waltrip Racing
56
 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing
78
 Kurt Busch Furniture Row Racing
88
 Dale Earnhardt Jr Hendrick Motorsports
95
 Scott Speed Leavine Family Racing
99
 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing
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Former Tar Heel visits Hendrick Motorsports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tyler Hansbrough went to school in the heart of NASCAR country, but the Indiana Pacers’ 6-9 power forward admits he had “other things” on his mind while attending the University of North Carolina.

Those things included helping his Tar Heel team win three-straight Atlantic Coast Conference basketball titles as well as the 2009 NCAA national championship.

“I was young and having fun and never really paid attention to (NASCAR),” Hansbrough said Monday while touring the Hendrick Motorsports complex with members of the Pacers organization. “This (tour) was definitely an eye-opener … I’ve gotten a whole new appreciation for it.”

Hansbrough isn’t totally lost when it comes to NASCAR — just months after he and his UNC teammates defeated Michigan State for the national title, and prior to joining the Pacers (he was the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft), Hansbrough served as grand marshal for the ‘09 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

An off-day between games against Brooklyn on Sunday and Charlotte on Tuesday afforded Hansbrough and his colleagues the opportunity to tour the massive Hendrick complex.

"This was definitely an eye-opener … I’ve gotten a whole new appreciation for (NASCAR)."

— Indiana Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough, after touring the Hendrick Motorsports complex

“Maybe now that I know a little bit more about the cars, met some of these people here, I can get into it and watch it a little more closely,” Hansbrough said.

The group saw nearly every step in the process of building race cars, visiting chassis, engine and fabrication shops, as well as seeing a completed car put through its paces on a seven-post shaker rig.

Steve Letarte, crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr., served as tour guide, while Alan Gustafson and Chad Knaus (crew chiefs for Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, respectively) took time to speak to the group.

“It’s always cool to interact with different teams in sports,” Letarte said. “You don’t realize how similar some of their philosophies and structure are like our race team.

“It was a fun day. The guys from the Pacers were very cool and so interested in what we did; I think we opened their eyes on how NASCAR is more than just cars on the track.”

The athleticism of the crews caught the attention of Hansbrough and Clark Kellogg, vice president of player relations for the Pacers. Hansbrough even tried his hand at jacking a car and attempting to remove a rear wheel after getting a glimpse of a pit stop practice.

“You always draw parallels from what I’ve done as a former player and what I do now as a broadcaster,” said Kellogg, who also serves as lead analyst for CBS college basketball. “But the teamwork aspect is always something that jumps out at you when you get behind the scenes of another organization in another sport.”

Kellogg said he knew there was athleticism involved from the drivers’ standpoint, “but I did not really lock into the fact that the pit crew members are tremendous athletes,” he said.

“You just watch how easily they move and how they get around, they’re like cats. I was quite blown away by the fact that they are extremely athletic and this place has made a commitment to making sure that they not only get high-quality athletes but they prepare them to perform at their highest level in this sport.”

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All data, all the time in NASCAR Fan & Media Engagement Center

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Race tracks better gauging the effectiveness of a ticket promotion. New sponsors seeing how they’re resonating within the sport. Broadcast partners determining which camera angles click with fans, and which don’t. NASCAR more quickly responding to a controversy or an erroneous media report.

"It’s very, very different from anything else out there."

— Steve Phelps, NASCAR chief marketing officer

Those are some of the goals of the NASCAR Fan & Media Engagement Center, a kind of multimedia mission control unveiled Monday at NASCAR Plaza. Built by NASCAR in concert with HP, the 13-screen glass room was the idea of chairman Brian France, and designed so the sanctioning body could better monitor digital and social media on behalf of the sport and its constituencies.

VIDEO: NASCAR, HP launch Fan & Media Engagement Center

“It’s going to allow us to handle digital and social media on behalf of our entire industry,” France said at a ribbon cutting. “… The capabilities being created today are going to allow our industry to interact with our fans in ways we could have never dreamed of before — in real time in almost every medium, all over the country.”

Eighteen months in the making, the FMEC is designed to help teams, tracks, sponsors, broadcast partners and NASCAR itself receive more data on fan and media reaction. Monitored by a staff of five people, the center on race weekends will be capable of determining things like hashtag efficiency, positive versus negative impressions, even how much one driver is being mentioned in ongoing social media conversations.

“It’s very, very different from anything else out there,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s chief marketing officer. “It will enable us on behalf of the industry to see what’s out there, to see how we’re being covered, and more importantly be able to respond to that in an efficient, effective manner. It’s one thing to get the data — it’s another thing to respond quickly to it.”

The FMEC will also allow NASCAR to monitor media coverage, and perhaps clear up a misinterpretation of a rule, or correct potentially inaccurate reports from outlets that do not cover the sport on a regular basis.

“This is not by any stretch, and I want to be clear, us trying to control anything,” said Brett Jewkes, NASCAR’s chief communications officer.

“It’s going to allow us to respond faster,” he added, “because we’re going to know more quickly and with more depth and breadth what the conversation is.”

France said NASCAR chose to partner with HP after speaking with different technology companies about the idea. The result unveiled Monday is being hailed by NASCAR as a potential game-changer, and by HP as a product that other industries may want to duplicate.

“This is an absolutely unique, first-of-its-kind solution,” said Charles Salameh, HP’s vice president of enterprise services for the Americas.

“This approach by NASCAR, I’ve never seen it, in all the customers I deal with across the Americas. It’s a very unique way. And mark my words, after this launch … the sporting world will look at what’s been done here. Not just the sporting world, but the automotive industry, the parts supply industry, the communications industry — any industry looking to have a more interactive dialogue with their customers … is going to look at what was launched here today.”

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Will confidence turn into a championship?

For Dale Earnhardt Jr., this year is all about confidence — carrying it over from a season that returned him to championship contention, building it over the first 10 races of this year, and using it as a springboard toward another run at the Sprint Cup championship.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

No. 88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet

2012 rank

12th

Team

Hendrick Motorsports

Crew chief

Steve Letarte

Biggest change for 2013 is…

Other than a little shuffling on the sponsor side, none. His team returns essentially intact.

Watch out for…

The gaps in consistency that took Earnhardt out of the championship mix last season before his concussions made it official. The No. 88 team started strong, but couldn’t improve as other teams did, and was at its lowest as the Chase approached. For a driver who doesn’t win many races, every week is crucial.

Will win the title if…

Earnhardt thrives in the new Sprint Cup vehicle, which he says reminds him of the Car of Tomorrow’s predecessor, and suddenly it feels like 2004 all over again. The last two years have proven that he can points race. If he starts getting victories in bunches, watch out.

2012 was…

Watch the video below for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 2012 season in review.

NASCAR’s most popular driver made huge strides in 2012, snapping a 143-race winless streak, ranking among the point leaders for much of the regular season, and making the Chase for a second consecutive year. The effects of two concussions took him out of the title hunt, but the season as a whole laid the groundwork for what could be a more serious challenge in 2013.

VIDEO: Dale Earnhardt Jr. season in review

He likes the way he ran much of last season. He likes the way the new Sprint Cup cars drive. He likes the momentum he’s built with crew chief Steve Letarte. Now, it’s time to see if all those good feelings translate into results on the race track.

“I feel like I can go into (this) year confident that we’re going to put good cars on the track, and I’m going to like the way they drive and I’m going to enjoy the races that we have,” Earnhardt said. “I think the first 10 races of the season are the most important in terms of making the Chase, putting down a good foundation of points. … It’s nice to get up there and get up front early and stay there. So that’s our outlook, and I think we’re in (a) good position.”

He has reason to feel optimistic, particularly after ranking in the top three for 19 weeks last season. Even so, Letarte sees ample room for improvement, saying the No. 88 was the dominant car for only two races last year, the skid-snapper at Michigan and one at Pocono, and leveled off late in the year when other teams improved. The difference is simple: Earnhardt simply needs to be faster more often.

“Last year we found some good speed, and then as the field caught up, we couldn’t distance ourselves from the group as fast as we needed to in the second half of the year,” Letarte said. “… It’s simple, but the faster you go, the easier the races are to call, the less pressure there is on drivers on the restarts, the less pressure there is on the pit crew. Even as much today as it takes to run well in NASCAR in the Sprint Cup Series, it comes down to lap times. If you’re a faster car, so much opens up. It takes pressure off everybody and you find yourself making less mistakes.”

Earnhardt would also like to get better in qualifying, which he felt cost him at times last year. But the No. 88 program has progressed to the point where improvement is targeted not for types of tracks, but individual venues like Texas and the road courses.

“We don’t have the big chunks to gain like we did before,” Earnhardt said.

Now, small improvements may mean a lot, which is why Earnhardt is eager to test as much as he can, and build some more confidence heading into Speedweeks.

“We can’t let anybody get a head start on us,” he said. “We need to go into Daytona and then Phoenix and Vegas feeling real confident about the start of our year, because the first 10 races really shape your chances are of making the Chase.”

See the full schedule of our top 12 Sprint Cup Series drivers and read more below:

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

11. Martin Truex Jr.

10. Jeff Gordon

9. Tony Stewart

8. Kevin Harvick

7. Matt Kenseth

6. Denny Hamlin

5. Greg Biffle

4. Kasey Kahne

3. Jimmie Johnson

2. Clint Bowyer

1. Brad Keselowski

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Sponsorship concerns push Justin Lofton to second circuit

Justin Lofton keeps the trophy from his Camping World Truck Series victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the mantle above his fireplace, so he sees it each time he walks into his house. He purposefully left space on either side, in hopes of providing it with company some day.

He could have ample opportunity this season, given that he’ll be piloting not just one type of race truck, but two. In a move made partly due to sponsorship concerns and partly to ensure the driver seat time, Lofton will split the 2013 campaign between his Truck Series ride at Eddie Sharp Racing and an off-road stadium truck circuit founded by former NASCAR racer Robby Gordon.

Ideally, Lofton said he’d like to compete full-time in the Truck Series and race the stadium circuit on his off weekends. But his No. 6 team at ESR currently has sponsorship for only 10 events, which, for the 26-year-old California native, could mean more time on the dirt.

“We’ve just got to do what we can,” Lofton said. “I’m not giving up on NASCAR racing. I’m not going in a different direction. I know I need to be in a race car, and that’s how I can make sure I’m in one. That’s kind of how it is, and we’ll revisit everything as sponsorship comes along.”

It all comes on the heels of a 2012 season during which Lofton broke through in the Truck Series, claiming his first race victory and emerging as a title contender until fading late in the year. Sharp purchased the assets of the former Kevin Harvick Inc. in 2011 and Lofton said the team opened the 2012 season with the primary goal of winning a race. That was achieved at Charlotte in May, where Lofton led 44 laps and outran eventual Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski at the finish.

"The big thing is, I want to race. I need to stay behind the wheel of something as much as possible."

— Justin Lofton

The only problem? It was just the fifth event of a 22-race season.

“We got distracted and lost momentum,” Lofton conceded. “We didn’t know what to do past that.” He held the points lead for three weeks after the victory, stood as high as third in midsummer and then plummeted to a final standing of eighth after a rough finish that included three crashes in four weeks.

Lofton believes the team will benefit from the experience.

“We’ve learned from that,” he said, “and we know what to do right in 2013, whether I’m in the truck, or someone else is in the No. 6 truck, or even Max (Gresham) in the No. 8 truck. ESR knows what to do right to get a truck to the championship.”

Even if it happens while he’s off racing something else. Lofton has off-road in his background, and Gordon’s circuit is modeled on the defunct Mickey Thompson series that helped further the careers of current NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears. But Lofton is adamant that he’s not giving up on the Truck Series — in fact, he believes he’s reached the point where he can contend for race victories even if he’s not competing full-time.

“Definitely,” he said. “That’s why I feel comfortable with it. I know I can get in a truck at certain events, and they’re mostly going to be mile-and-a-half, bigger venues, and be competitive. I know we can go down to Daytona and have a chance at winning that race. If I don’t run Martinsville and we go to Kansas, I know we can go win Kansas. I know we can do that. With me being in a vehicle every weekend, it’s only going to help.”

Lofton will be in the Truck Series opener at Daytona, where he finished third last year. The first real conflict comes during the circuit’s second race, April 6 at Martinsville, which is on the same day as a stadium truck event in Phoenix.

“We hope we’re at Martinsville,” Lofton said. But right now, he isn’t sure. The only thing he knows is that he’ll be behind the wheel of a truck that day — even if he isn’t certain exactly which kind.

“The big thing is, I want to race,” he said. “I need to stay behind the wheel of something as much as possible.”

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Collaboration with HP yields high-tech dividends

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and HP Monday unveiled the new NASCAR Fan and Media Engagement Center presented by HP. This first-of-its-kind-resource will enable NASCAR to better serve its industry, partners and fans through a cutting-edge technology platform that facilitates near real-time response and analytics of traditional, digital and social media.

"We believe this tool has the potential to be the best of its kind in sports."

—Brian France

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and HP Enterprise Services Vice President Charles Salameh were on hand to cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the center at NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte, N.C.

“The Fan and Media Engagement Center build has been a thorough process more than a year in the making, and we are excited to see it come to life,” France said. “We believe this tool has the potential to be the best of its kind in sports — the first ever to combine not only social, but also traditional and broadcast media analysis. We’ll be able to use this to help our industry and business partners and better connect with NASCAR fans across the world. It’s another example of our commitment to innovation.”

HP collaborated with NASCAR to design and build the Fan and Media Engagement Center. The center is a showpiece on the 8th floor of NASCAR Plaza, where NASCAR’s Digital team operates. Physical features of the FMEC include all-glass walls, a monitor bank of 13 47-inch HP displays, and the latest in touchscreen and AV technology. Behind the scenes, HP’s custom-developed technology and services, based on its Autonomy analytics solutions, is the engine that processes a massive amount of data into relevant, actionable insights.

“The FMEC is the culmination of a collaboration between NASCAR and HP,” said Salameh, vice president—Americas region, Communications, Media and Entertainment Industry, Enterprise Services, HP. “HP’s integrated solution not only benefits NASCAR’s complex ecosystem by allowing real-time data capture and analysis across a wide variety of media, traditional as well as digital, tailored to specific audiences within the industry.”

The FMEC will provide NASCAR the ability to monitor, analyze and better understand the current media landscape in order to respond more effectively and efficiently to fans and respond more rapidly to national, local and global media.

Measurement also will be a key function of the Fan and Media Engagement Center. Those capabilities will expand across qualitative and quantitative measurements, including tonality, volume, proximity and other coverage attributes in regular reports the FMEC will generate for its industry.

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Trailer company adds six years to extend partnership through 2018

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR and Featherlite Trailers announced Monday that the Iowa-based company has agreed to extend its long-term partnership with NASCAR. The six-year extension ensures that Featherlite Trailers will be the Official Trailer of NASCAR through 2018. Entering its 13th year as an Official Partner, Featherlite Trailers built its first race car transporter for owner Richard Childress 20 years ago, dating its relationship with the sport back to 1993.  

Currently, Featherlite Trailers plays a vital role in facilitating high-quality NASCAR race events each weekend. Ninety percent of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series teams rely on Featherlite transporters to move vital race equipment to every event. Additionally, approximately 10 transporters manufactured by Featherlite Trailers serve as official office and meeting spaces for NASCAR race officials and personnel each weekend across the country.

“Featherlite Trailers is pleased to extend our partnership with NASCAR,” said Terry Carlson, chief executive officer of Universal Trailer Holding Corp. “As a long-time NASCAR partner, Featherlite is committed to the sport and its fans, as well as providing world-class support and services to NASCAR and its race teams.”

In the second half of the 2012 NASCAR season, Featherlite Trailers introduced its newly redesigned custom “T1” NASCAR support and media trailer. The transporter, featuring larger and more efficient work spaces, is utilized by NASCAR broadcast partners at the track each weekend.

“The return of Featherlite Trailers benefits our entire industry, including our tracks, drivers, teams and partners,” said Jim O’Connell, NASCAR chief sales officer. “The extension of this 20-year relationship ensures that our sport will continue to have the most technologically advanced race transporters and meeting spaces, critical to facilitating high quality race events each weekend.”

Featherlite Trailers is a leading designer and manufacturer of aluminum trailers, including specialized 53-foot race car transporters and highly customized specialty trailers for virtually every business purpose. The company also manufactures car, recreation, utility, horse and livestock trailers. Featherlite is part of Universal Trailer Corporation’s family of brands.